MISTER KIT ACRYLIC COLORS AUSTRO - HUNGHERIA W.W. I

AUSTRO HUNGARY WWI
Series 4 – WW1 Austro-Hungarian colours

Most of Austro-Hungarian airplanes were delivered troughout the War in the scheme which was known as "plain finish".  It consisted of wooden and linen surfaces simply covered with a clear and protective paint.

 

First attempts at camouflage were made with the Fokker E.IIIs which were delivered from Germany.  Their linen surfaces were painted Pale Green. This color was confirmed by naval ace Gottfried von Banfield on three different occasions, referenced by Dr. Martin O'Connor's Methuen Handbook of Colors. 

Other camouflage attempts were made by ace Godwin Brumowsky and dealt with the upper surfaces of Oeffag Albatross D.IIIs belonging to his Flik (Fighter Squadron) 41J. Their pattern consisted of a coat of solid Dark Green (as a base) with super-imposed very tightly spaced Yellow sworls. Each sworl was of approximately two or three inches of diameter.

Phoenix fighters (D.I & D.II) received a distinctive swirl pattern.  Paint was applied to metal, fabric and wood surfaces directly, in the form of multiple, tight swirl with a paint-saturated rag or sponge.  Initially Medium Brown was used, but it was later replaced by Green.  The Green shade we choose is based on the color applied to the original rudder of a Phonix fighter currently preserved in the Science and Technical Museum in Milan.  Undersides were usually left Clear Doped Linen.

During a recent restoration of the only surviving Austro-Hungarian fighter in original camouflage (the Aviatik-Berg D.I held by the Vienna Technical Museum), chemical analysis about true color shades revealed that what were believed Tan and Dark Green were merely the result of chemical deterioration and the original colors were Platinum Grey (instead of Tan) and Basalt Grey (instead of Dark Green).

As for the Clear Doped Linen, our choice was based on chemical research about the same original Berg D.I. .

National colors are Insignia Red and White, which were used for flying surfaces stripes on early Army aircrafts (before the introduction of black crosses) and on Naval land planes and flying boats throughout the War.